Toddler Won’t Eat Without Watching TV? 10 Steps to End Screen Time at Meals
July 2022
Last reviewed: July 2022
Author:
Jennifer Anderson, MSPH, RDN
Coauthors:
Stefanie Kain, B.S. M.Ed
About Kids Eat in Color
Created by experts, Kids Eat in Color is the leading resource for families seeking evidence-based information and strategies on child nutrition and feeding.
As an Amazon Associate, Kids Eat in Color® earns from qualifying purchases made through affiliate links.
Author:
Jennifer Anderson, MSPH, RDN
Coauthors:
Stefanie Kain, B.S. M.Ed
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Inside: Reducing your toddler’s screen time while eating can be difficult, but this guide will walk you through 10 steps to wean your kid off screens and get them to eat without TV.
Parents often ask, “Is it OK for kids to eat while watching TV?” Toddlers like to have screen time while they’re eating, and it’s often easier for parents to manage mealtimes this way as well. But is it good for them?
Toddlers can be picky eaters, but you may have noticed that if you put a screen in front of your toddler, they eat better. That’s a good thing, right? The problem is, screens at meals may contribute to picky eating in the long run. Plus, it can be problematic if your toddler won’t eat without a TV or screen in front of them.
Here are ten steps you can follow to cut screen time during meals in your home.
If you have a picky eater, we have a free picky eater guide that can help get your toddler to try new foods without screens!
Step 1: Have the right mindset for weaning your toddler off of screen time while eating
Feeding toddlers with a screen, tablet or iPad in front of them is easy! It can help your child stay quiet during meals and eat what is in front of them. Many parents use screens during mealtimes. (1)
When your toddler is watching a screen during meals, you can get things done, but it is important for you to supervise your toddler while eating to prevent choking.
Knowing why you are reducing your child’s screen time while eating can help make the transition easier. Having the right mindset can also help you keep going when it gets tough.
When your toddler eats without a screen, they get the full experience of eating. They can taste, touch, smell, hear and feel the food as they are eating it. This full sensory experience helps your child get familiar with foods.
When your child is familiar with different foods, it helps prevent neophobia, which is the fear of new foods. When a child is not afraid of foods, they are more likely to eat them.
Even if your child does not eat what is served at mealtimes, they are still getting familiar with the food. This helps prevent picky eating from getting worse.
Step 2: Get on the same page with other adults about reducing your toddler’s screen time during meals
If there are other adults living with you, make sure to get on the same page with them. Weaning a toddler off of a screen can take some work for everyone in the house.
If some of the adults are not interested in getting the child to eat without TV and screens, it can make the weaning process more difficult.
Related: Our picky eating courses can help you get aligned with your child’s other caretakers.
Step 3: Be prepared for tantrums and decide how you will handle them
Toddlers have big opinions. This is developmentally appropriate, but it can be hard to manage.
When you take the screen away during mealtimes, your toddler may be very upset. This is a change to their routine, and toddlers don’t like changes to their routine.
Mentally prepare yourself to handle your toddler’s tantrums calmly. The tantrums over screens at meals will not last forever.
Step 4: Have a plan to wean your toddler off of screens
Before you start to cut down on screen time at meals, have a plan. If you start and then stop weaning, it will cause tantrums to go on for a lot longer.
The next few steps will help you develop your plan.
Step 5: Start your toddler with one screen-free meal or snack (or start with several minutes without screens)
If your child is watching most of their meals or snacks with a screen, or if your toddler won’t eat at all without a TV or screen, start by choosing one meal where you will not have screens.
For example, decide that you will not use screens during breakfast, and do not offer the screen during breakfast.
If you do not want to go the whole meal without a screen, choose a certain number of minutes that you will not use the screen. You can use a visual timer to help your child know when the screen will come back.
If this is too much for your child, you can change the distraction. For example, instead of a screen, read them a book. This is still a change, but not as big of a change.
Step 6: Eat with your toddler as you wean them off of screen time while eating
Your toddler may have missed some food exposures if they had TV or screen time while eating. This means that they may be afraid of some of the foods or they may not know how to eat them.
They need to watch you eating the foods in order to feel more comfortable.
If you can, eat the same foods as your child to show them how to eat the foods. You have a big influence on your child eating more foods!
Related: Make sure your toddler’s high chair has a good footrest to help them sit comfortably at the table during screen-free meals.
Step 7: Do something else with your toddler as you are taking away screens during meals
Your toddler may not want to sit at the table during meals. It is understandable! Toddlers are busy and have things to do and messes to make!
Here are some things you can do to help your toddler engage at mealtime:
Talk about the food, the colors and the names of the foods
Tell simple jokes to make your child laugh
Tell a short story
“Play” with your food – pretend your broccoli is a tree, your blueberry is a ball, or your toast is a trampoline
Related: Download our ebook Food Play Every Day for tons of food play ideas to get your toddler interested in food.
Step 8: Increase the number of meals your toddler eats without a screen every two to three days
Once you start weaning your toddler off of screens, don’t stop. Every two to three days you can choose another meal to eat without a screen.
If you are using minutes, you can increase the amount of time that you eat without a screen every two to three days.
Step 9: Stand firm as you reduce screen time during meals
Your toddler will probably demand the screen during meals. Remember that you are the parent and you are doing this for their good.
Eating without a screen has so many benefits for kids and toddlers. You know this, but they don’t know this.
Even when your toddler demands that you bring the screen back, you can calmly tell them they can watch the screen at a different time, and go back to eating.
Tantrums will decrease as your toddler gets used to eating without a screen. They will eventually understand that screens are not part of meals and they will stop asking for them.
Step 10: Use screens as a tool when you need them
You know what is best for your family. Your family may enjoy eating together in front of a screen as part of a weekly family tradition or during special events.
You might also have a situation where you need to have your toddler sitting quietly during certain meals.
Whatever the situation, if you choose not to serve all meals without a screen, that is up to you. Choosing to serve meals with a screen does not make you a bad parent, and your child can still be healthy.
Our rule of thumb is, eat meals without a screen as often as you can, and use screens as a tool when you need to.
Expert advice on feeding toddlers
Learn more strategies for feeding toddlers and picky eaters from our team of dietitians, nutrition specialists, feeding therapists, psychologists, early childhood educators and more!
If you need more support managing picky eating in your home, be sure to check out our BetterBites picky eating course. It teaches you everything you need to know about getting your child to eat new foods.
About Kids Eat in Color
Created by experts, Kids Eat in Color is the leading resource for families seeking evidence-based information and strategies on child nutrition and feeding.
Jennifer Anderson is a registered dietitian and has a masters of science in public health from Johns Hopkins School of Public Health. In 2019, she founded Kids Eat in Color®, a public health resource that improves child and family nutrition and mental health. Prior to starting Kids Eat in Color® she coordinated youth nutrition programs at a food bank, performed research in inner-city food deserts, and consulted for the USDA national office SNAP-Ed program. Her academic background is in public health nutrition, cultural anthropology, and economics.
Inside: Reducing your toddler’s screen time while eating can be difficult, but this guide will walk you through 10 steps to wean your kid off screens and get them to eat without TV.
Parents often ask, “Is it OK for kids to eat while watching TV?” Toddlers like to have screen time while they’re eating, and it’s often easier for parents to manage mealtimes this way as well. But is it good for them?
Toddlers can be picky eaters, but you may have noticed that if you put a screen in front of your toddler, they eat better. That’s a good thing, right? The problem is, screens at meals may contribute to picky eating in the long run. Plus, it can be problematic if your toddler won’t eat without a TV or screen in front of them.
Here are ten steps you can follow to cut screen time during meals in your home.
If you have a picky eater, we have a free picky eater guide that can help get your toddler to try new foods without screens!
Step 1: Have the right mindset for weaning your toddler off of screen time while eating
Feeding toddlers with a screen, tablet or iPad in front of them is easy! It can help your child stay quiet during meals and eat what is in front of them. Many parents use screens during mealtimes. (1)
When your toddler is watching a screen during meals, you can get things done, but it is important for you to supervise your toddler while eating to prevent choking.
Knowing why you are reducing your child’s screen time while eating can help make the transition easier. Having the right mindset can also help you keep going when it gets tough.
When your toddler eats without a screen, they get the full experience of eating. They can taste, touch, smell, hear and feel the food as they are eating it. This full sensory experience helps your child get familiar with foods.
When your child is familiar with different foods, it helps prevent neophobia, which is the fear of new foods. When a child is not afraid of foods, they are more likely to eat them.
Even if your child does not eat what is served at mealtimes, they are still getting familiar with the food. This helps prevent picky eating from getting worse.
Step 2: Get on the same page with other adults about reducing your toddler’s screen time during meals
If there are other adults living with you, make sure to get on the same page with them. Weaning a toddler off of a screen can take some work for everyone in the house.
If some of the adults are not interested in getting the child to eat without TV and screens, it can make the weaning process more difficult.
Related: Our picky eating courses can help you get aligned with your child’s other caretakers.
Step 3: Be prepared for tantrums and decide how you will handle them
Toddlers have big opinions. This is developmentally appropriate, but it can be hard to manage.
When you take the screen away during mealtimes, your toddler may be very upset. This is a change to their routine, and toddlers don’t like changes to their routine.
Mentally prepare yourself to handle your toddler’s tantrums calmly. The tantrums over screens at meals will not last forever.
Step 4: Have a plan to wean your toddler off of screens
Before you start to cut down on screen time at meals, have a plan. If you start and then stop weaning, it will cause tantrums to go on for a lot longer.
The next few steps will help you develop your plan.
Step 5: Start your toddler with one screen-free meal or snack (or start with several minutes without screens)
If your child is watching most of their meals or snacks with a screen, or if your toddler won’t eat at all without a TV or screen, start by choosing one meal where you will not have screens.
For example, decide that you will not use screens during breakfast, and do not offer the screen during breakfast.
If you do not want to go the whole meal without a screen, choose a certain number of minutes that you will not use the screen. You can use a visual timer to help your child know when the screen will come back.
If this is too much for your child, you can change the distraction. For example, instead of a screen, read them a book. This is still a change, but not as big of a change.
Related: See our list of favorite books about food for children.
Step 6: Eat with your toddler as you wean them off of screen time while eating
Your toddler may have missed some food exposures if they had TV or screen time while eating. This means that they may be afraid of some of the foods or they may not know how to eat them.
They need to watch you eating the foods in order to feel more comfortable.
If you can, eat the same foods as your child to show them how to eat the foods. You have a big influence on your child eating more foods!
Related: Make sure your toddler’s high chair has a good footrest to help them sit comfortably at the table during screen-free meals.
Step 7: Do something else with your toddler as you are taking away screens during meals
Your toddler may not want to sit at the table during meals. It is understandable! Toddlers are busy and have things to do and messes to make!
Here are some things you can do to help your toddler engage at mealtime:
Related: Download our ebook Food Play Every Day for tons of food play ideas to get your toddler interested in food.
Step 8: Increase the number of meals your toddler eats without a screen every two to three days
Once you start weaning your toddler off of screens, don’t stop. Every two to three days you can choose another meal to eat without a screen.
If you are using minutes, you can increase the amount of time that you eat without a screen every two to three days.
Step 9: Stand firm as you reduce screen time during meals
Your toddler will probably demand the screen during meals. Remember that you are the parent and you are doing this for their good.
Eating without a screen has so many benefits for kids and toddlers. You know this, but they don’t know this.
Even when your toddler demands that you bring the screen back, you can calmly tell them they can watch the screen at a different time, and go back to eating.
Tantrums will decrease as your toddler gets used to eating without a screen. They will eventually understand that screens are not part of meals and they will stop asking for them.
Step 10: Use screens as a tool when you need them
You know what is best for your family. Your family may enjoy eating together in front of a screen as part of a weekly family tradition or during special events.
You might also have a situation where you need to have your toddler sitting quietly during certain meals.
Whatever the situation, if you choose not to serve all meals without a screen, that is up to you. Choosing to serve meals with a screen does not make you a bad parent, and your child can still be healthy.
Our rule of thumb is, eat meals without a screen as often as you can, and use screens as a tool when you need to.
Expert advice on feeding toddlers
Learn more strategies for feeding toddlers and picky eaters from our team of dietitians, nutrition specialists, feeding therapists, psychologists, early childhood educators and more!
If you need more support managing picky eating in your home, be sure to check out our BetterBites picky eating course. It teaches you everything you need to know about getting your child to eat new foods.